Three-phase inverters are operative to convert electrical power, such as three-phase voltages, generated from three-phase windings into DC (Direct-Current) power, such as a DC voltage using a plurality of switching elements each having a diode parallely connected thereto. The DC power is supplied to a battery to be charged therein, and/or to electrical loads.
One type of these three-phase inverters is operative to turn off a switching element for each phase armature winding after lapse of a preset delay time relative to a voltage induced in another phase armature winding. The one type of these three-phase inverters is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-7964.
The three-phase inverter of this type is further operative to determine the off timings of the switching element for each phase armature winding so that an on period of the switching element for each phase armature winding varies from 120 electrical degrees to 180 electrical degrees.